Icing on the cake. It’s a phrase that was used multiple times while discussing the possibility of bringing home some medals for Team Canada during the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi (Thursday, March 14 – Thursday, March 21).

Calgary’s own Amber Harriman — heading to the games to participate in rhythmic gymnastics — isn’t a fan of putting any kind of emphasis on wins, and was adamant that her main goals while competing are to be able to inspire others and have some fun.

“In nationals, I wanted to do my best. Right now, I’m not thinking about medals, but it would be really cool to bring home a medal for Canada and for myself,” said Harriman before her flight to Abu Dhabi, which also included stops in Toronto and Dubai for teambuilding exercises and sightseeing.

“I love going to all my programs and seeing my friends and having fun. But from opening ceremonies and on, just to see the crowd cheering you on, it puts a lot of hope and love in your heart that makes you happy.”

Harriman, 28, who boasts an impressive history of being a multi-sport athlete, also has an extensive background in figure skating. Harriman has been involved with competitive sports since she was seven years old and has been participating in Special Olympics since she was 19.

“Amber joined the program about 10 years ago. She was new to our program and excelled right away. She’s competed now at two national games, I believe, and now she’s off to the World Games,” said coach Amy Campbell, who has been working as a Special Olympics coach for 15 years.

“She’s very easy. She’s very motivated. It’s very inspiring because she wants to do so well. She’s a very good listener and very well-rounded athlete. She’s got a pretty strong dance background and it makes moving into a sport like this really easy.”

The two rhythmic dancing portions of the games fall on Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20. If Harriman wins, it will be the first time that she has done so on the world stage. Despite that possibility, it still remains to be very much about the experience for Harriman.

“It means a lot. It just means that when I compete, I know that I can grow more every time I step out anywhere. It’s a privilege to get to do that,” explained Harriman.

“I keep telling everyone that I think I’m going to be 60 and still doing this, but I don’t know. If I have my way, I’ll keep doing it, because I like moving and I don’t think sport will ever go away for me. I like trying new things and it has always been a part of my life.”

“There isn’t the pressure there. Special Olympics is very careful to keep it a social event and keep it a happy event. To do your best but number one is to have fun. So you never have that pressure or that anxiety and the stress that’s involved for generic athletes, I’m sure,” added Campbell.

Harriman is so dedicated to her craft that her training regimen is enough to make most blush, and her determination in being able to continue to do this for the foreseeable future is a testament to just how much her involvement with the Special Olympics means to her.

“I actually started taking ballet classes for flexibility and stretching. Dance on top of that, and yoga, which is another thing that quiets your mind. I go through my routines over and over to get the musicality, and I’m working with apparatuses, so we make sure that they’re stable when I’m throwing things up in the air,” said Harriman.

“It’s different when they make a team like this, because they attend training camps outside of our personal training as well, so she attended two training camps that both were in Toronto. Then her and I meet on a weekly basis as well and we’re running through routines. She’s doing some side classes that they receive some funding for so she’s been able to do some ballet and pilates. She’s also very active in figure skating with Special Olympics so she’s done a lot of that this year as well. She’s very physically active but we meet to work on and perfect her routines for gymnastics,” added Campbell.

“It’s very inspiring. It’s emotional, sometimes, because a lot of these athletes were told that they weren’t going to be able to do a lot of things, so to see them compete at all these different levels is incredible.”

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